Vocab Midterm

First you _______ me around our closest friends, then you down-right _________ me in public-what sort of harsh treatment should I expect next?

deride, castigate

Tonight's dinner conversation was downright ________; I was unable to recall even a morsel of wisdom or substance.

diffuse

Peter has a(n) air about him; when he speaks to his colleagues, it's as if he addresses them from up on a big, high horse.

disdainful

"Please, just this once," Julie pleaded, "agree with what I am saying, and stop being so difficult and ____"

disputatious

Difficult Donald is already _________ by nature, but lately he has become more and more ________.

disputatious, belligerent

_________ is a communications skill that can get one places, especially if he or she wants to go into news broadcasting or radio announcing.

eloquence

Are you shy around unfamiliar people, or do you consider yourself _______?

gregarious

"I'm happy with either warm destination. It makes no difference to me whether we vacation in Acapulco or in Cabo San Lucas this year," mother remarked in a cheerful, yet ______ tone.

indifferent

The department chair advised Miss Prim to replace her serious, stiff teaching style with a(n) ______ approach that would engage and enliven her students-even spark them to laugh occasionally-so that they would have more fun while learning.

jocular

Although delightfully ________ at public gatherings, enigmatic Roger tends to be ________ and uptight when at home.

jocular, cantankerous

Despite her _______ personality, Megan is serious about her schoolwork and leaves no room for ______ when she has a project deadline.

jocular, levity

When nothing is new under the sun, the days seem long, dull, and ________.

lackluster

Filled with a heavy feeling of ________, all I could manage to do all day was read a little, then rest on the couch, then read a little more, then watch television on the couch.

languor

With a giving spirit, Donald practices ______ each month by giving a portion of his earnings to his three favorite charities.

largess

If gravity is studying five hours for a precalculus test, then _______ is sinking into the couch and sucking on a Ring Pop while watching Glee for the umpteenth time.

levity

With her balloon sculpting and bubble blowing, Cleo the Clown created an atmosphere of _______ that every guest enjoyed.

levity

A(n) __________ Saturday afternoon involves the same old errands, the same old lunch haunt, and the same old household chores.

listless

Poised and _______, Lucille was born for the actor's playhouse and podium.

loquacious

The epitome of _______, Luke sought to give of his time, resources, and encouragement whenever the opportunity arose.

magnanimity

The knuckles of the _______ old man were perpetually white form strongly clutching his coins, dollars, and prized possessions.

miserly

Tears subsided and happy voices sounded once mother decided to _______ the feud between her son and daughter by actively sympathizing with each child's side of the story, no matter how divergent their tales were.

mitigate

A natural-born peacemaker among her friends and family, Laila makes a talented _______ in the business world as well.

mitigator

A soft nightlight is one way to ______ nighttime fears and erase spooky visions of monsters under the bed.

mollify

_________ Janice is truly magnificent, especially when it comes to the giving of her time, her help, and her dreamy homemade desserts.

munificent

Natalia is more than_________; she is categorically _________, for even if she lost her scholarship, broke up with her boyfriend, and was kicked off the varsity lacrosse team, she would still carry on as if the world revolved smoothly around her.

nonchalant, stolid

Distressingly, the community was overwrought with one-parent homes, drug peddling, and petty crime, all resulting from destitution.

penurious

Even though the snowy, icy cold day made me feel ________ while closed up indoors all day, I still managed to peel, chop, and dice as I cooked up a health brew: hearty chicken soup simmered with seven vegetables.

phlegmatic

Gabe is a master of _____ because he can usually get his point across in three words or less!

pithiness

_______ on and on at record speed about nonsense, Desiree left her listeners with no clue as to what she was talking about, but left them transfixed by her bright red motoring lips.

prattling

Walking along wet, mossy stones in the water is _______ you very well might slip and fall headfirst into the water.

precarious

Opportunistic Pete practices one _____ move after another; he's either cheating, scheming, or planning his next lie.

predatory

I felt pushed under the rug hen I tried to share my perspective on extracurricular activities with Ava, for my point of view was quickly _______ following her eerie and unsympathetic laugh!

rebuffed

Instead of complaining about how your parents scold you, get your act together and prove to them that you no longer deserve their _______ for being remiss in your schoolwork and household chores.

reproval

_________ people make me feel uncomfortable; they are so quiet and disengaged that it makes them hard to read.

reticent

Nomadic hunters and gatherers, wandering Indian tribes, and early American settlers-the last thing one can call these industrious groups of people is ________.

sedentary

Chamomile tea with a drizzle of honey and a trickle of lemon makes a _______ portion that suddenly puts me into a warm, soothing sleep.

soporific

A(n) lifestyle is one that is going nowhere fast: no new employment, no new love interest, no volunteer work, and no new life-changing commitments.

stagnant

Far from a blabbermouth, Tina is as ________ a young lady as one can find.

taciturn

After being asked repeatedly to go on a movie date, Julian _______ responded, "Not interested," to the girl on the other end of the phone.

tersely

Using the newspaper comics as wrapping paper and returning soda cans to the grocery store are two ways that a family can practice ______.

thrift

Even though Justin was simply feeling _________, those who observed him interpreted his languor as an indication of his unrespectable ________.

torpid, indolence

Despite the _____ of her busy afternoon-homework, carpooling, dinner preparation-Annabelle strives to maintain an inner sense of order and calm.

turbulence

Lance is an enigma; at times, I don't know whether to extol him for his helpfulness and flexibility or to ________ him for his cynical and self-serving nature.

upbraid

Even though Olivia, who tends to exaggerate, buys organic meat and produce, she still worries about hormone-injected meats and pesticide-sprayed fruits that are labeled "organic" even though they are not; as a result, Olivia obsesses about these items being_______ threats to her health.

virulent.

"Lose your ______ tone," Miranda firmly remarked; "otherwise I am unwilling to continue this confrontational conversation with you."

contentious

Gwyneth is in such a(n) _______ mood. It's as if she can't wait to bite the head off the next person who opens his mouth!

contentious

A simple, sincere "I'm sorry' is often all it takes to _______ with another, even after a long-standing disagreement.

conciliate

Hands down, he is always the life of the party . With the karaoke mike in one hand and a cocktail frank in the other, it's no wonder they call him _____ Claude!

convivial

The ______ comments of his employer assured Jack that his boss was satisfied with his job performance and glad that Jack had joined the marketing team.

cordial

_____________ and pleasant conversation is always welcome in this house; save the sarcasm and complaints for elsewhere.

cordial

Rather than picturing a ferocious and potentially lethal blaze when you imagine a(n) _________, visualize a scenic bonfire on the beach at night-complete with toasted marshmallows, hot chocolate, and stargazing!

conflagration

The devastating ________ at the Jones' place of business seemed to kick off a chain reaction of negative events; one ________ followed another.

conflagration, adversity

When my stomach is upset, nothing ______ my discomfort as much as a bowl of warm, homemade minestrone soup, sprinkled with lemon zest.

alleviates

Although Rori preached ____ to whomever she could, she was one of the most self-indulgent and egocentric individuals.

altruism

Students at Middlebury High School can always count of Amanda, kind-spirited and ______, to spread benevolent words about her friends, teachers, and acquaintances.

amiable

First a disgruntled customer, then an uncooperative delivery truck driver - wherever salesclerk Jared turned, a red-eyed ______ was there to glare at him in the face.

antagonist

The fact that you have several winter coats to choose from gives you no right to be aloof and _______ regarding children who do not own warm and properly fitting winter clothing.

apathetic

To adopt a more _______ lifestyle, Grant froze his gym membership, said goodbye to his daily mocha latte from Starbucks, and remorsefully asked his cleaning lady if she would be kind enough to come just once a month.

austere

"Sweetheart," Mr. Dire said to his wife, "we need to go on a tight budget, In other words, we have to practice some _____ around here."

austerity

________ can be an insatiable drive, for sometimes even excessive wealth and material goods is just never enough.

avarice

In politics, diplomacy and _____ are on extreme opposite ends of the relationship continuum that exists between nations.

belligerence

______ Bernadette always strives to be kindly toward others, without looking for praise, payback, or recognition.

benevolent

Known for her ______ Hailey delivered a 40-second speech that pithily emphasized the many reasons why she would be the best pick for student government president.

brevity

Even though Charles' boss bitterly _______ him on account of his reprehensible conduct, the praise he received from his boss earlier in the week remained palpable, continuing to lift his spirits and bolster his self-esteem.

chastised

Speaking in _______, Janice put her audience to sleep as she droned on and on, stringing together one overused expression after another.

cliches